Method of making racket strings



Aug. 3, 1937. I J. SALADINO 2,088,822- METHOD 0F MAKING RACKET STRINGS Fileii Oct. 11, 1934 Patented Aug. 3, 1937 -u"1 :11) STAT-ES PATENT ()FFICEV 2,088,822 v 3 METHOD OF MAKING RACKET STRINGS Joseph Saladino, Reading, Mass.

Application October '11, 1934, Serial No. 747,811 1 5' Claims. (01. 117-21) Thisinvention relates tomethod of making racket strings such as are used to play tennis, squash and other like games, and to the article resulting therefrom. "Racket strings are com- 5 monly made of silk, gut or fiber or combinations thereof Racket strings which have a colored spiral or cord extending lenthwise and spirally of the string for decorative purposes are quite popular. The

10 plainness. of the silk, gut or fiber string is relieved by twisting theicolored spiral around it. The obvious andonly known way of making such a string was to start with the spiral under less tension and of greater length than the regular string 15,,andtwistthe. two together. The spiral, being under less tension, remained on the outside surface of the string, where it will be clearly visible because it is-coloredt However, being on the surface, and underless tension than the regular string, it adds nothing to the strength of the string; making it so muchthicker; but no stronger. Also, the spiral often loosens fromthe surface of the string and unravels,zwhich makes it appear as though the strandsof the whole string were loosening. a v

.One object of my invention has been to provide a method of making a racket string with a spiral save material in making a racket string by using a spiral of the same length as the regular strands in the string,- instead of :using a spiral which is longer than the regular strands, as has heretofore been the practice. Still another object is to avoid o having the spiral individually exposed to surface wear.

The foregoing and other objects which will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, may be accomplished by a construc- 5 tion, arrangement of parts and by a method such as is herein disclosed and shown by the drawing. The nature of the invention is such as to render it susceptible to various changes and modifications, and, therefore, I am not to be limited to 50 what is disclosed by the drawing; but am entitled to all such changes therefrom as fall within the scope of my claims. l In the drawing:

Figure 1 is a diagrammatic plan view showing 55 the strands forming a racket string coming off the bobbins and later being lined up together ready for drying and twisting.

Figure 2 isa section taken on the line 2- --2 of Figure 1, illustrating the tension means through whichthe strands pass after coming off the bob- 5 bins.

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary view. of a finished racket string. f

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the line 4-4 of Figure 3 greatly enlarged. 10

Figure 5 is the same View as Figure 4; but showing the spiral partly separated from the remainder of the racket string, in order to clearly illustrate its position as an integral part of the string. 2

As illustrated there is the usual supporting 15 frame I2 on which bobbins I3 are mounted, around which are wound the strands I4 of silk, or other material which form the regular string. In making a spiral string the identifying spiral or marker I5 is'kept to one side of the other strands while being unwound from the bobbin, as illustrated in Figure 1 of thedrawing. The finished strings to which this'inventio-n relates are commonly called spiral strings, and the colored or identifying part of the string is commonly 25 called the spiral to distinguish it from the rest of the string.1 In my invention the spiral becomes an integral part of the string in every way, being under the same tension; but remains visible throughout. In the usual spiral string the spiral is purposely wound under less tension so that it will be on the outside surface and does not really become an integral part of the string; being more or less loosely wound on the string.

The spiral I5 is thicker than the single strands I4, usually coming from the manufacturerin the form of a single coarse; strand. The spiral whethermade ofa single or plurality of strands, is always thicker than the single strands which make up the rest of the string. In making spiral I silk strings I have used a spiral I5 seven times thicker than a single strand I4, although more or less could be used. The spiral must be thick enough so that a portion of it will be part of the outside surface of the string throughout, thereby 5 making it as visible as though it were wound around the surface of the string.

The strands I4 and spiral I5 pass through the usual tensioning devices I6, weights I! being used on the tension device through which the spiral I5 passes because it is thicker, and it is necessary to put more pressure on it to attain the same tension as is attained by drawing said strands I4 through said tensioning devices I6. Thus the strands I 4 and spiral IE will be substrands and spiral passing through it. Said tank 20 has rollers 2|, under and over which the strands and spiral pass, and thence passbetween pins or guides 22, or other devices'providing a narrow passage, which are mounted; on

said tank. Two of these pins 22 provide a passage through which said strandsll pass,-whichpassage is narrow enough to bring said strands, into contact with each other so they will form" a loose and untwistedcord 24' at this point.v The other said pin 22 keeps. the spiral 15 separate" from the strands at this point, as it is desired to have the spiral alongsideqthe strands when the twisting operation begins and not intermixed with them. After passing between said pins 22 said strands l4 and spiral l" come alongside'each other and the adhesive compound, which I indicate by the numeral 25, holds them together. A loop 26 is fastened to the ends of the strands I4 and spiral I5,and: after they are dried somewhat on the drying frame 29. the compound still being somewhat tacky, the said loop is slipped over the hook on the twistingdevice 21 commonly a used to twist racket strings,-and the said device set in operation. The spiral I5 is twisted with the strands I4, and as they start under the same tension and are of equal length, the twisting 1 operation makes the spiral l5 aniintegralpart of the finished string 30. A portion of the spiral always is visible on. the surface, however, due to the fact. that it is. thicker than anyof the strands. H,and-,.therefore, does not become completely covered. by said strands l4. .In'the finished string 30 throughout its length the colored spiral is always visible, thereby giving color and 1 adding to the attractiveness of the-string, as

well as providing a string with a spiral which is as strong as a plain string of equal thickness,-

no part of which string will independently separate from the rest and loosen and unravel..

What I claim. is: a, l e 1. The method. ofmaking a racket string comprising drawing a plurality of strands from a source of supply while keeping them under tension. and; drawing a spiral whichis thicker'than anyof said strands from a source of supply and: keeping it undertensionsubstantially the same as the tension of said strandabringing said strands together and drawing saidspiral beside said strands, and twisting said strands and spiral together and thereby forming a racket string.

2. The method of making a racket string comprising drawing a plurality of strands from a source of supply through'individual tensioning devices and bringing said strands together, keeping a spiral which is thicker than any of said strands under substantially the same tension as said strands by drawing it through a tensioning deviceof greater pressure than any of said firstmentioned tensioning devices, and laying said spiral beside said strands, and twisting said strands and spiral together and thereby forming a racket string. 3.- -'I-he method of making a racket string comsource of supply while keeping them under tensionand drawing a spiral which is thicker than any otsaid strands from a source of supply and keeping it under tension substantially the same as'the tension ofsaid'strands, applying an adhesive material to said strands and spiral, bring.- ing said strands together anddrawing said spiral beside said strands, joining said strands and spiral together at one end, leaving said strands and spiral to dry, and twisting said strands and spiral; together while said adhesive material'is still tacky and thereby forming a racket string.

45The method of making a racket string comprising drawinga plurality of strands from a source of supply while keeping them under tension and drawing a spiral which is thicker than anyofsaid strands from a source of supply and keeping it :undertension substantially the same as the tension of said strands, bringing said strands together and'drawing said spiral beside said strands, said spiral and strands being substantially the same length, and twisting said strands and spiral together. and thereby forming a racket string.

.5. Themethod ofmaking a racket string comprising drawing ...a plurality of strands from a source of supply through individual tensioning devices under substantially the same pressure and through guiding means to thereby bring sai'd strands-together, drawing a spiral which is. thicker than anyof said strands through a tensioning device which applies sufiiciently greater pressure to said thicker' spiral than any of ,said first-mentioned tensioning devices to thereby place said spiral under substantially the same pressure as said strands, drawing said spiral through separate guiding means and laying said spiral alongside said strands with the length of said spiral substantially the same as the length of said strands, and twisting said strandsand spiral together and thereby forming a racket string..;., Y

. 1 v JOSEPH SALADINO. 

